first film

[focalintent]

So, I got my first roll of film back with the medium format camera. I wouldn't say I was ecstatic about the shots. And I'm sure the 5x7 print size has left something to be desired.

But OMG - the negatives are... amazing. I can actually see an incredible amount of detail in them. I wish I had a negative scanner to be able to show them off. Alas, the crappy brother mfc-210c that is my only scanner at the moment does a really bad job with them. I know, I just tried to scan a strip of the film.

So - the best I can do, until I get a scanner that's better capable of handling film[1] is to scan the 5x7 prints that I got. Of course, see comment above about crappy scanner - 600x600 dpi is the best i can scan at, and the banding that i get is driving me up a wall. But for now, it's my best option for sharing these images out.

Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film


Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film


Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film -1/250s @ f/16, or maybe 1/500s @ f/11

Unfortunately, I didn't keep notes about what exposures I used for the shots. The only reason I have a guess on the 3rd one is that I'm pretty sure I used the 'Sunny 16' for setting up the exposure. 'Sunny 16' states, roughly, that in a scene with full daylight outdoors, ideal exposure is f/16 @ 1/ISOs - where ISO is the film speed rating. So, with iso400 film, ideal exposure for that 3rd shot would have been 1/400s at f/16. Since the camera only has 1/250 and 1/500 - i'd have to choose between those two. Being just slightly overexposed (though I don't think the print blows out as much as the scan would claim) my guess is that i did 1/250 at f/16 or 1/500s at f/11.

All of these shots were framed with the prism viewfinder (non-ae). This past weekend I did a bunch of shooting with the waistlevel finder. In a number of ways, I think I almost prefer the waistlevel finder - though the reverse image is taking some getting used to.

At any rate - this has me even more excited about continuing to play with film. I already have my second roll of film at the lab for developing, and on thursday I start my darkroom & b&w photography course. I'm looking forward to the days when I can come in from shooting, and have scans turned around by that evening (between developing on my own and having a decent scanner for film).

Of course, i'm also thinking about where to go next with film. I've already got a 150mm lens on order, as well as an AE prism (to get me metering and even some level of auto-exposure (AV) in the camera) coming in. But beyond that - i'm starting to have thoughts involving an RZ67 based rig, for 6x7 medium format shooting. Unfortunately, while the RZ67 does have a 645 film back (so I could shoot 6x7 or 6x4.5) it doesn't appear to have a 6x6 back - which leaves me wondering if i'm going to be stuck with cropping to get 6x6 - or if i'm going to have to investigate a 3rd medium format rig. To be fair, if I moved to the rz67 - i'd probably sell/pass on the 645 pro-tl rig, since I can shoot 645 with the rz67 as well. I'm seriously thinking enough about the rz67 that I think i'm going to put a halt to any more investment in the 645 rig (barring film) until after the darkroom class - so that my 645 investment isn't -too- steep.

Speaking of that - i'm still at the ~$700 range of investment. Of course, that $700 has gotten me the 645 pro-tl body, the 80mm f/2.8N lens, the 150mm f/3.5N lens, a polaroid back, a 120 film back, a waistlevel viewfinder, the prism viewfinder, a second prism viewfinder with light meter/AE controls for the camera, manual winding handle, auto-winder grip and all the caps necessary to keep all the pieces happy and clean when the whole thing is disassembled.



[1] I'm seriously tempted by the Epson v700 - as its film scans apparently approach $2000 dedicated film scanners in quality (sometimes surpassing them) and I don't see myself dropping $18k on a drum scanner anytime soon (if I'm going to drop that kind of money, i'd say fuck it and get myself digital backs). In the meantime, I should find a good place to send 120 strips off to for scanning)

Comments

[veek.livejournal.com]

These are gorgeous.

[bloodstones.livejournal.com]

Yeah these are gorgeous. I particularly like the first one with the contrast (both between light and dark and focus/out of focus). I also like the left side of the 3d image a lot with the play of light and shadows on the wall. At any rate, if these are the versions that you're not so happy with bring on the negatives.

(I do think it's possible that I like the super contrast-y ones because in four years of photography classes I never managed to escape middle gray.)

[sol3.livejournal.com]

Here's a 110dpi version of the negative (which I originaly scanned at 600dpi). If i hold the negative up to my monitor it's almost exactly the size of this image:



The actual size on your monitor may vary depending on what the dpi of your screen is. The full 600dpi scan of the negative is here.

[bloodstones.livejournal.com]

It's beautiful. Makes me miss being in a darkroom.

[kajmal.livejournal.com]

Very nice! I like the warmth of film images.

I also like the second picture. Looks like a fire sprinkler system valve.. put up as art?

[sol3.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

And yes - it is. The loft complex i'm living in used to be an art deco furniture factory. They turned the sprinkler system valve into a sculpture on one of the walkways here - i love it : )

They also turned a handful of ventilation fans into some really nifty lighting fixtures on one of the entrances.

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

I can wholeheartedly recommend Velvia (if you want really riotous colors) or Provia. Nothing beats a strongly backlit slide for "holy shit I'm there" sorts of feelings.

[rednikki.livejournal.com]

Holy cow.

[devina.livejournal.com]

I particularly love the first one.

[tcb.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. at ~$500, the v700 looks like a good deal..

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Pretty.